Yuuzhan Vong
The Yuuzhan Vong are a fictional race of sentient beings that rise as a threat to the New Republic in the Star Wars New Jedi Order series of novels. They are the only known alien species in the Star Wars universe to have originated outside the Star Wars galaxy. The Yuuzhan Vong are a race of religious zealot masochists. They genetically engineer and grow all of their organic technology and view mechanical technology as blasphemy. They endeavor to improve their physical capabilities through organ grafting. Notably, the Yuuzhan Vong are not included in the Force, something the Jedi have found very mysterious, since all living things are supposed to have, in some way or another, a unique Force energy signature distinct from other species. Society Description The Yuuzhan Vong function in a caste system. They range from the powerful two-person Supreme Overlord caste to the lowly oppressed worker caste. Below is a list of the major castes. Their economic system isn't really mentioned, but appears to be a command economy, and their political system is obviously a form of theocracy or autocracy. The Supreme Overlord Caste The highest caste is led by the Supreme Overlord, who commands all of the other castes. At the time of the Yuuzhan Vong War, the current Supreme Overlord is Shimrra. Or so the Yuuzhan Vong think. Only the Supreme Overlord has direct communication with Yun-Yuuzhan, the Creator and Supreme God of the Yuuzhan Vong. The Supreme Overlord caste consists of the following ranks, in descending order: *Supreme Overlord *Heir The Shaper Caste The shapers are the scientists who supervised the biotechonology of the Yuuzhan Vong. The shaper caste consists of the following ranks, in descending order: *Master Shaper *Adept *Savant (known as Initiate at times) The Priest Caste The priests are the servants of the many lesser deities of the Yuuzhan Vong. The priest caste consists of the following ranks, in descending order: *High Priest, High Priestess *Priest, Priestess *Seer *Novice The Warrior Caste The warrior caste serves as the armies of the Yuuzhan Vong and is one of the largest castes. They are well trained, deadly, and are more aggressive than the other castes of the Yuuzhan Vong. The caste's most famous warrior is Tsavong Lah, the warmaster at the beginning of the Yuuzhan Vong War. Their chief weapon is the amphistaff, which resembles a deadly serpent capable of spitting venom or coiling around foes. The warriors are devotees of the Slayer, Yun-Yammka, and seek honor in combat. They wear the living vonduun crab armour which is capable of resisting blaster fire and lightsabers. The warrior caste consists of the following ranks, in descending order: *Warmaster *Supreme Commander *Commander *Subaltern *Warrior The Intendant Caste The intendant caste is responsible for the Yuuzhan Vong economy. The most famous intendant is Nom Anor, the most infamous enemy of the Jedi. The intendant caste consists of the following ranks, in descending order: *High Prefect *Prefect *Consul *Executor The Worker Caste The worker caste is the largest, yet lowest, caste, and serves mainly as servants and laborers. The worker caste includes Shamed Ones (Yuuzhan Vong whose bodies have rejected implants and modifications), Chazrach (a low intelligence reptillian race enslaved by the Yuuzhan Vong), and shaped slave races from the Star Wars galaxy. The worker caste consists of the following ranks, in descending order: *Workers *Shamed Ones *Slaves History The Yuuzhan Vong are refugees from a distant galaxy. Yuuzhan'tar, their homeworld was a sentient planet and almost all their technology was organic. They were a peaceful species living as symbionts with their homeworld until they were subjugated by a technologically advanced species. Eventually the invaders were driven back and the Yuuzhan Vong struck back fiercely, conquering the invaders and in the process becoming warlike. They then subjugated other alien civilizations in a crusade to rid their galaxy of technology, including the reptillian Chazrach, which became slave soldiers. After that, they fought among themselves in several civil wars that destroyed their homeworld and ruined their entire galaxy. The Yuuzhan Vong then left their galaxy in massive Koros-strohna worldships and travelled to the Star Wars galaxy in a journey that would take about a thousand standard years. There is evidence that the Yuuzhan Vong had scouted the galaxy since before the Mandalorian Wars; four thousand years before their initial invasion, Canderous Ordo encountered a "living asteroid that spat fire" and escaped towards the edge of the galaxy. However, the Yuuzhan Vong began probing in force four thousand years later, several years after the Battle of Naboo. They attacked Zonama Sekot in an attempt to steal its advanced biological technology, but the living world defeated them and Old Republic Jedi Vergere offered herself in exchange that Zonama Sekot be left undamaged. The Yuuzhan Vong accepted her, and Vergere lived with them for 50 years. During this time, she revealed information about her galaxy while learning their secrets. Also during those years, the Yuuzhan Vong remained hidden from the galaxy, though they sent a number of Intendants to scout the galaxy. A notable Intendant assigned to this task was Nom Anor. After the Galactic Civil War which saw the New Republic defeat the remnants of the Empire, the Yuuzhan Vong saw their chance to invade the weakened galaxy. On the distant world Rhommamool, the invaders, through Nom Anor disguised as the leader of the Red Knights of Life, stirred up a rebellion between Rhommamool and its neighbour Osarian. The same agent was also responsible for infecting Mara Jade Skywalker and a hundred others with a fatal Yuuzhan Vong disease. As a result, the Praetorite Vong took over Helska IV and brought down Sernpidal's moon upon the planet, killing millions, including the famous Wookiee Chewbacca. The Yuuzhan Vong also encountered the Jedi, whom they considered the worst of a galaxy of infidels. The Yuuzhan Vong then began attacking worlds in their path with much ease. Bimmiel, Dantooine, Dubrillion, and Obroa-Skai are among the many worlds captured, while Ithor was turned into a fireball and rendered uninhabitable. Then arose the problem of refugees from shattered planets that the government could not ignore. The New Republic began to blame the Jedi for starting the conflict with the aliens. Knowing that the Jedi were their worst enemies, they offered the galaxy a ceasefire in exchange that all of the Jedi be handed over to them. Then in a shock tactic, the invaders launched an attack on the other side of the galaxy at the planet Fondor which was close to the capital Coruscant itself. During the Battle of Fondor, the Yuuzhan Vong suffered heavy losses when Centerpoint Station was fired by Han Solo's cousin Thrackan Sal-Solo. The Yuuzhan Vong eventually struck a deal with the Hutts that allowed them to pass through Hutt Space unmolested. But the Hutts were betrayed, and their worlds were attacked. The Peace Brigade, an organization which supported the Yuuzhan Vong, was formed through Yuuzhan Vong agents. This organization also helped the Yuuzhan Vong capture Jedi. Then, on Yavin 4, Yuuzhan Vong of the oppressed Shamed caste came to admire the Jedi after a shamed Yuuzhan Vong named Vua Rapuung helped Anakin Solo rescue fellow Jedi Tahiri Veila, and as a result, a heresy was formed that infiltrated all levels of Yuuzhan Vong society, particularly the Shamed caste. With Coruscant rapidly becoming surrounded, the Yuuzhan Vong create fearsome Voxyn beasts that hunt Force sensitive individuals. A Jedi strike team lead by Anakin Solo soon destroyed the Voxyn breeding facility over Myrkr, though most of the team was slain, including Anakin Solo. Above Coruscant, the Yuuzhan Vong captured the planet after a long battle and had it terraformed, and became Yuuzhan'tar, the Yuuzhan Vong homeworld. Following the conquest, the New Republic was reorganized as the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances (or Galactic Alliance or GFFA for short) and Mon Calamari became the capital world. The terraforming of Coruscant was sabotaged by the Jedi Knight Jacen Solo. The Galactic Alliance, having moved to Mon Calamari, prepares to attack the weary Yuuzhan Vong. The Alpha Red Project, which would destroy the Yuuzhan Vong and their organic technology is destroyed by Vergere. The Yuuzhan Vong are lured into the Deep Core moon Ebaq 9, and the task force is destroyed. There, Tsavong Lah is slain by Jaina Solo and Vergere sacrifices herself to eliminate the rest of the invaders. In the Force Heretic series of the New Jedi Order novels, the Galactic Alliance heroes Han Solo, Leia and Twin Suns Squadron head out to find powerful allies while the Jedi Luke Skywalker begins a mission to find the legendary living planet Zonama Sekot. The Jedi stumble upon a Yuuzhan Vong attack against the Imperial Remnant and help fight the invaders off, thus gaining a powerful ally. Meanwhile, the Yuuzhan Vong Nom Anor disguised as the prophet Yu'Shaa begins stirring up the heresy on Yuuzhan'tar formerly Coruscant posing as a Shamed One after fleeing the wrath of Supreme Overlord Shimrra for suggesting the disastrous Ebaq 9 mission and gains many followers among the worker caste. Luke's team then heads into Chiss space to obtain information on the Unknown Regions and hopefully Zonama Sekot. Meanwhile, Han and Leia's team heads to Bakura, where they thwart a Ssi-Ruuk invasion. The Jedi search the Chiss libraries for their missing planet. Later, the Jedi locate their Zonama Sekot, but so too have the Yuuzhan Vong. Sekot drives off the attackers as the Jedi land on its surface. Meanwhile Han Solo and Leia attempt to bring a communication station to the Unknown Regions back online while the Jedi negotiate with the living world to help them in the war. In The Final Prophecy, Yuuzhan Vong operatives steal one of Zonama Sekot's organic starships and the Shaper Nen Yim discovers that Sekotan technology is similar to Yuuzhan Vong technology and that her people have gone terribly astray. Nom Anor disguised as Yu'Shaa along with Nen Yim and the priest Harrar arrive in Zonama Sekot, where they find out that many of the species from their galaxy are found on the planet. A plot by Nom Anor to destroy the living world is foiled. In The Unifying Force, Han and Leia rescue hundreds of high-ranking Alliance prisoners facing sacrifice to the enemy's gods. The Galactic Alliance prepares a fleet to defend Mon Calamari from the invaders while another Alliance fleet engages the Yuuzhan Vong at Coruscant. In the end, Supreme Overlord Shimrra is slain and the Yuuzhan Vong lose the war. They surrender and are placed under the living planet Zonama Sekot's jurisdiction. Zonama Sekot is revealed to be the seed of the long-dead original Yuuzhan Vong homeworld. One of the surrender terms the Galactic Alliance placed before the Yuuzhan Vong was that they were to help rebuild Coruscant. The Galactic Alliance moves its capital to Denon though it would be moved to Coruscant again after the rebuilding is complete. The Yuuzhan Vong invasion was the most devastating crisis the galaxy had faced. The cost of the actions of the Yuuzhan Vong was very dear to the Star Wars galaxy. The number of deaths over the known galaxy that resulted from the invasion was estimated at about 365 trillion sentients. That would be equal to 61,000 Earth-type worlds with a population of 6 billion each. Technology The Yuuzhan Vong (sometimes incorrectly abbreviated Vong, which implies insult because all Yuuzhan Vong are named after their chief god, Yun-Yuuzhan) use only living things, from ships to weapons to everyday objects. They hate droids, machines, electronics, and anything manufactured. Some common weapons that they use are listed below. Weapons Amphistaffs Amphistaffs are the primary anti-personnel weapons of the Yuuzhan Vong. They are bioformed, handheld serpents that can attack in a variety of ways. They are, on average, 2-3 meters long and have skins so thick that they cannot be penetrated by a lightsaber unless preweakened (this happened in The Unifying Force). In addition to their default staff/spear configuration, amphistaffs can be wielded as a whip, wrapping around a target then biting it or prompted to spray deadly toxins at its victim. They can also bite their victims causing intense blinding pain. Another form of attack for an amphistaff is to turn into a blade that is an atom thick that its master can wield. Once the master of an amphistaff is deceased, the staff will continue attacking the assailant until either of them is dead. Normally, an amphistaff is to be wrapped around a warrior's waist, though a higher-ranking warrior would have his amphistaff wrapped around his arm. Supreme Overlord Shimrra wields a specially bio-engineered amphistaff that is known as "The Scepter of Power". In one of the New Jedi Order books, Jacen Solo develops a connection through the Force to a grove of amphistaffs. The amphistaffs wrap around his body, creating him a suit of living armor. Blast Bug The blast bug is a large insect used by the Yuuzhan Vong. The bug is thrown at the target and then speeds up quickly as it heads towards it. Just before it hits the bug explodes which shoots shards of the shell and acidic body fluids on to the target. Dweebits The Dweebits are small beatles the quickly multiply. The beatles affect local plantlife and cuase the enviroment of the planet to change into a deadly and toxic which kills living things. The effect however is only temporary and eventually the atmosphere reverts back to its original form. The dweebits were used by Yomin Carr on the planet Belkadan to destoy the ExGal Society there. Plaeryin Bol The Plaeryin Bol is a small creature that is placed in the eye socket of the Yuuzhan Vong. The Vong can then squeeze the plaeryin bol and shoot a jet of deadly venom at any of his enemies. The only known plaeryin bol is used by Nom Arnor Plasma Eel The Plasma Eel is a weapon used by the Yuuzhan Vong to stun their enemies. Thud Bug The thud bug is basically a beetle that has sharp, jagged appendages on its sides. Its wings are extremely powerful and emit a loud buzzing sound when active. A thud bug only flies when its Yuuzhan Vong warrior throws it at a victim. When it hits skin, a "thud" is emitted, hence its name. If the thud bug misses, it then flies in a large loop back to its thrower. Thud bugs can be killed with a lightsaber, but their carapace is very tough and usually cannot be broken in normal combat. If a thud bug becomes lodged in the ground it can free itself using its wings and sharp legs. There are rumors that special thud bugs carried by Yuuzhan Vong high officers will explode on impact. Also, specialized thud bugs can emit a cloud of toxic gas. Coufee A coufee is a slightly curved dagger used by the Yuuzhan Vong in close-quarters combat. Approximately 20 centimeters long, the weapon is, like all other Yuuzhan Vong technology, fully organic and alive. Planetary vehicles Fire Breather The Fire Breather is a huge leviathan with tough hides and natural chemicals that were manipulated so that it could be used as a heavy support organism. It has 6 legs and a bladder shaped body which produces pyro-chemicals. They are then shot out via a long proboscis. The Fire Breather is also protected by more symbiotes that secrete anti-laser aerosols into the air. Rakamat The Rakamat is an organic vehicle used by the Yuuzhan Vong. It is approximately the size of an AT-AT walker, but with six legs instead of four. Also unlike AT-ATs, the rakamat can project microsingularities via onboard Dovin Basals. Further, it is far more offensively powerful, capable of launching a devastating ball of plasma from its jaw. The Jedi Master Luke Skywalker once turned a rakamat's Dovin Basal-projected singularity against itself, turning the miniature black hole around to swallow the tank-like beast whole in Dark Tide I: Onslaught. The technique exhausted him thoroughly, however. At another point, it took six X-wings and a hidden cache of explosives to bring one down, but at the Battle of Borleias in Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand, Wedge Antilles took one down by tricking its own coralskipper support to crash into it, blasting it in two. Tsik-Seru The Tsik-Seru are organic vehicles used by the Yuuzhan Vong as atmospheric fighters. It is a military breed of the Tsik-Vai and resembles a manta ray. It is both heavily armoured and armed with plasma projectors and can survive on planets with no oxygen or water. Tsik-Vai The Tsik-Vai is an organic atmospheric vehicle used by the Yuuzhan Vong. It resembles a manta ray with several tentacles for grabbing prey. There is a cockpit on top of the vehicle for one pilot only. It first appeared in Edge of Victory I: Conquest where Anakin Solo evaded capture from one of these sent after him on Yavin 4. Vangaak The Vangaak is an aquatic trawler used by the Yuuzhan Vong for travelling underwater. The living craft's skeletal frame is composed from the tough yorik coral. Once the frame matures, it is seeded with a living organism called kera-boa which reproduces rapidly creating a semisentient protoplasmic colony which sprouts millions of long, microscopic tendrils which dangle below the craft. Even these tendrils are made to move together, they can propel the craft in any direction. After the kera-boa system has taken root, the vangaak is enveloped by hundreds of long, tough dull green scales supplied by the dora-mu, an aquatic creature imported from the Yuuzhan Vong galaxy. However those green scales do not die upon removal from the dora-mu because it can mold itself onto the vangaak's skeleton and receive nutrition from the living craft. These scales are also able to withstand blaster bolts and are capable of healing. Also knobby projections that can control the craft sprout from the carapace. The vangaal trawlers that appeared in the NJO novel Edge of Victory I: Conquest were use to gather fish and other aquatic life. It travels largely submerged with only a broad flat dome that serves as a sensory device visible. The vangaak feeds by opening a large maw at the front of the craft which can suck in fish. The water is filtered through thick, sticky strands of kera boa tendrils. Large organisms get caught in this web while smaller ones pass throug the kera boa tendrils into the vangaak's digestive membrane which fuels the craft. In the book Edge of Victory I: Conquest, Vua Rapuung and Anakin Solo travelled to the Yuuzhan Vong base in one of these trawlers. Larger variants of the vangaak, can be used for aquatic combat with the adittion of specialised plasma projectors. They can also be used as sea-going troop transports and can board enemy vessels. Space Fighters Coralskipper (Yorik-Et) The Coralskipper is the primary space superiority fighter of the Yuuzhan Vong. It is an organism made of yorik coral. It is called Yorik-Et in the Yuuzhan Vong language. Its main weapon is a kind of small volcano throwing small molten rocks. Their propulsion device is a Dovin Basal that is also used as a shield, sucking in lasers and other weapons like a miniature black hole. The pilot uses a cognition hood that enables him to share the same thoughts with his craft thus piloting it. Coralskippers are strictly space vehicles and perform poorly in planetary atmospheres. Coralskippers are also not designed for long-range travel and must often rely on larger vessels for transport. Grutchin A grutchin is bioengineered weapon that resembles a giant grasshopper and is designed to tear through ships and kill the entire crew. Grutchins are completely unthinking and just destroy whatever is in their path. Sometimes, Yuuzhan Vong may have to fire on their own weapons if they survive, as they might turn on their masters. Grutchins are capable of travelling and attacking ships in hyperspace. Yorik-Vec Assault Cruiser The Yorik-Vec is an assault crusier made from yorik coral. Its weapons are a turrent mounted quad plasma cannon, 4 twin plasma cannons and a Dovin Basal for defence and propulsion. Its crew consists of two pilots and three gunners. The vehicle is piloted through cognition hoods which allow the pilots and the vehicle to share the same thoughts and commands while the three gunners man the plasma cannons. Though the Yorik-Vec carries troops and supplies, it does not feature the external appendages needed to carry Coralskippers as other Yuuzhan Vong warships do. Space Vessels A-Uek Iiluunu Fighter Carrier The A-Uek Iiluunu is a bioship made from yorik coral that can carry 200 coralskippers, which are attached by fishlike projections. Chuun M'arh Frigate This frigate is used by the Yuuzhan Vong as a picket and long-range reconnaissance ship. Unlike larger ships, it cannot use Dovin Basals to generate a powerful interdictor field. Its weapons are 30 plasma cannons, and it could carry 225 crew and 370 passengers. Most Chuun M'arhs are around 400 metres long, though they could also be between 200 and 500 metres. I'Frii Ma-Nat Corvette The I'Frii Ma-Nat Corvette is a carbon-black assault craft armed with 8 volcano cannons that is mainly used for pursuits and patrols or as a support craft. Kor Chokk Grand Cruiser The Kor Chokk are more of a mobile space station than a grand cruiser, which was a designation used for the Kor Chokk by the New Republic Intelligence. The weapons of a Kor Chokk consisted of 120 plasma projectors, Dovin Basals and an interdiction field that could severely damage enemy vessels. The Kor Chokk also carried 216 Coralskippers, 30 Yorik-trema transports and 4,640 warriors. Its crew consisted of 2,140 Yuuzhan Vong. Kor Chokk begin life as a smaller ship and grow as they survive battles as parts of obsolete ships are grafted onto them. As a result of these grafts, the most powerful of these cruisers become a massive and terrifying sight. One of the Kor Chokk grand cruisers, Sheado's Legacy of Torment resembled a fearsome mobile war tower. Though all Kor Chokk differed in shapes, they shared some similarities. All of them featured multiple docking arms for the coralskippers to be launched into combat. These docking arms took up most of the ships's cargo space. Koros-strohna World Ship The Koros-strohna worldship is a 10 kilometer long transport that can house entire communities of Yuuzhan Vong, providing them with food and shelter. Like all other Yuuzhan Vong vehicles and vessels, the Koros-Strohna, or Worldship, was made of yorik coral. The worldship has more in common with a planet than a starship and, like most other Yuuzhan Vong bio-engineered vessels, it did not appear to be a starship at all. Its main body is a disc-shaped bulk littered with hundreds of weapon projections and other protrusions. On the edges of the Worldship are several large spiral arms, causing the ship resemble a galaxy. These spiral arms or outrider ganglia were used to dock the worldship's Coralskippers. They can also be used as solar sails to push the worldship through space. Dovin Basals could also be used to propel the worldship by projecting gravity wells to drag Yuuzhan Vong ships through the interstellar void or to strip enemy vessels of their deflector shields. The worldship was protected by 200 plasma weapons emplacements. Additional defence came from the worldship's cargo and troop holds which could transport 5,000 warriors along with starfighters and planetary vehicles. Another weapon was the huge, tubular worm called Gorros' Fen which extended from the bowels of the worldship. The Gorros' Fen could be used to deploy troops and to gather nutrients for the worldship to stay alive. Miid Ro'ik Warship The Miid Ro'ik warship is the standard frontline ship of the Yuuzhan Vong. It carries 60 of plasma cannons and can also use its Dovin Basals to trap enemy vessels by preventing them from performing a hyperspace jump. The Miid Roi'k warship requires 1,280 crew to operate, and it carries 1,950 Yuuzhan Vong warriors and 72 coralskippers. Sh'rip Sh'pa Spawnship The Sh'rip Sh'pa is a cruiser that carries the supplies and equipment needed for terraforming captured worlds. Suuv Ban D'Krid The Suuv Ban D'Krid boasts similar firepower to the smaller Uumufalh gunship but also carries 36 coralskippers. It has broad red and green arms which serve as docking bays for the coralskippers. Uro-Ik Glu'ta Battleship The Uro-Ik Glu'ta is a warship similar to the Uro-Ik V'alh. Uro-Ik V'alh Battleship The Uro-Ik V'alh is a massive ship armed with 80 plasma projectors. It is more than a match for an Imperial Star Destroyer. Uumufalah Gunship The Uumufalh is an escort starship used by the Yuuzhan Vong to accompany large warships. Like all other Yuuzhan Vong vessels, the Uumufalh is made of yorik coral. Vua'Spar Interdictor The Vua'spar Interdictor is a warship equipped with multiple weapons and a full communications suite consisting of several villip choirs. They are spicular in shape and resemble two cones pushed together at the base. Where these cones meet, there are three large dovin basals used to interdict hyperspace travel. Support Craft Yorik-trema Transport Carrier The Yorik Trema are troop transports capable of deploying 30 Chazrach support troops and 6 Yuuzhan Vong warriors to a planet. The Yorik-trema used several hollow molleung worms to deploy its passengers and to attack nearby enemies. Like every other Yuuzhan Vong vessel, the Yorik-trema was made from yorik coral and was also capable of self-healing. For landing gear, the Yorik-trema used sharp landing claws that could land on almost any terrain. The Yorik-trema resembled a gigantic bulbous, green eel with a tail-like aft and two 'eyes' above its volcano cannon which was located in its mouth-like opening. These so called 'eyes' were actually Yuuzhan Vong sensors which could be used for tracking both enemy starfighters or its escort coralskippers. The Yorik-trema also had ablative scales which it used when entering a planetary atmosphere. These ablative scales burned away during descent but protected the yorik-trema. Yorik-Ta Escape Pod The Yorik-Ta is the Yuuzhan Vong version of an escape pod. It is made from black yorik coral and includes a dovin basal for travel and defense. Yorik-Stronha Spy Ship The Yorik-Stronha is a bioship that resembles an asteroid and is used as a spy ship. The Yorik-Stronha is sent into enemy territory before the attack fleet to spy on the enemy. It is equipped with a cloaking device. Other technology Cognition Hood Cognition Hoods are a direct link between pilot and vessel, permiting the wearer to interact with the vessel it is attached to viewing what it sees feeling what it feels while still permiting the user to control the vessel. Dovin Basal Dovin Basals are creatures able to generate powerful gravitational fields. They are used mainly as propulsion devices and shields: they can create micro-blackholes that can absorb laser shots at the space craft, as well as pretty much anything else, from proton torpedoes and concussion missiles to whole ships. As a side effect, they can also dramatically drain deflector shields of nearby enemy crafts (within meters). Furthermore, they can be used as weapons against planets: a powerful dovin basal dropped on the surface of a planet can target a moon to slow it down and make it crash on the planet. This was first used on the planet Sernpidal, resulting in the tragic death of Chewbacca. In addition, they are able to wrench ships from hyperspace due to their powerful gravitational pull. Villip Villips are creatures that are the primary means of communication for the Yuuzhan Vong. They resemble small, leather balls. They work by "opening up" and displaying a 3-dimensional image of a person's face as well as conveying sound. Villips work by using telepathy to establish a connection with another villip. Generally, villips are "dedicated", meaning that villips can only communicate with another specific villip. However, there are villips that can communicate with all villips. The Yuuzhan Vong use them on their ships, atmospheric craft, and they can be used by troops. Voxyn Voxyn are genetically engineered creatures created by the Yuuzhan Vong to hunt Force users, particularly Jedi. They were developed from vornskyr stock from the planet Myrkr. Voxyn are multi-legged, dragon-like creatures that fight by spitting acid, screeching powerful sonic blasts, or stabbing enemies with a venomous tail barb. After the loss of several Jedi to the Yuuzhan Vong, Anakin Solo led a Jedi strike force to Myrkr, where the voxyn cloning facility was located. Jacen Solo, Anakin's brother, succeeded in destroying the voxyn "queen" and the irreplaceable voxyn genetic data, but many Jedi and Yuuzhan Vong were killed. After the Myrkr facility's destruction, the Yuuzhan Vong abandoned the voxyn project - the last of the voxyn died at the hands of Jedi Knights at the battles of Ebaq 9 and Coruscant. Yammosk Yammosks are creatures mainly used as coordinators during battles to send orders to other space crafts, essentially the many coralskippers, to optimize their actions. Their way of communication is gravitational waves. This was discovered by Danni Quee to locate yammosks in capital ships, and therefore target them during battles. By the Fall of Coruscant it became possible to jam the yammosk's communication, lessening dramatically the efficiency of affected Yuuzhan Vong fleets. Some yammosks are used instead as "world coordinators." They manage the thousands of biological processes that go into terraforming and maintaining Yuuzhan Vong worlds. Because these yammosks must be of the highest quality, they are selected through a special process. Multiple yammosks are colocated, and each is given a contingent of slave to influence. When one yammosk has destroyed all of its siblings, it assumes control over the new Yuuzhan Vong world. Yuuzhan Vong biotechnology is generally not self-aware, but yammosks are at least partially sentient. Physically, yammosks resemble huge brains, kept in vats, which trail thousands of tentacles. Each yammosk is carefully protected and pampered - often slaves are confined in a yammosk vat with orders to massage its tentacles. This provides the yammosk with companionship but is a terrifying experience for the slaves, because the yammosk can mentally manipulate and communicate with them. Yuuzhan Vong generals develop a rapport with their yammosks, allowing them to give commands in battle. The yammosk then psychically (via gravitic waves) influences the minds of all Yuuzhan Vong combattants within range. Dhuryam Related and quite similar to the yammosk, except being much more bigger and powerful, these thirteen irreplaceable creatures were trained to become much more than a world coordinator: the pazhkic Yuuzhan'tar al'tirrna, or World Brain. One of them will manage the thousands of biological processes that go into terraforming and maintaining Yuuzhan'tar, the Yuuzhan Vong homeworld. Because the World Brain must be of the highest quality, it is selected through a special process called the tizo'pil Yun'tchilat: the Day of Comprehending the Will of the Gods. All thirteen dhuryams are severed from their telepathic link with their slaves by the shreeyam'tiz. When one dhuryam remains, from either killing its siblings or by some other method, it assumes direct control over Yuuzhan'tar. In Traitor, the World Brain was chosen by Jacen Solo after he killed all twelve of the other dhuryams. Shreeyam'tiz A small subspecies of the yammosk, the sole purpose of the shreeyam'tiz is to disrupt the telepathic link between yammosks and dhuryams and their slaves. Deities The Yuuzhan Vong are devoutly religious and have many gods, citing their gods' desires as the reasons for their merciless conquering. Yun-Yuuzhan Yun-Yuuzhan, the Creator, is the most powerful deity of the Yuuzhan Vong religion. He sacrificed most of his body parts to create the lesser deities and the Yuuzhan Vong galaxy. Only the Supreme Overlord has direct contact with him. Yun-Harla Yun-Harla is the Trickster, the Cloaked Goddess of deception and aggression. Having learned this information, members of the GFFA had their top pilot, Jaina Solo, codenamed "Trickster" and "Goddess" to terrorize the Yuuzhan Vong invaders, who would believe they were fighting the living form of one of their most powerful deities. Yun-Harla is composed of entierly borrowed body parts, from her eyes, which are villips, to her bones, which are yorik coral. The seen hides the unseen in Yun-Harla's case, and she approves lying and deception for the greater good. Yun-Yammka Yun-Yammka is the Slayer and the god of war. He is worshipped by the warrior caste. His image is that of a bulbous-headed, octopus-jellyfish hybrid, the inspiration for the Yammosk. Appeals to him often require death sacrifices. Yun-Ne'Shel Yun-Ne'Shel is the Modeller and oversees natural life cycles and is worshipped by the shaper caste. The Lover Gods Yun-Q'aah and Yun-Txiin are the Lover Gods and are twins, Q'aah female, Txiin male. They are the patrons of love and relationships, and are also the most capricious of Gods, requiring no sacrifice. Yun-Shuno Yun-Shuno has a thousand eyes and watches over and speaks for the Shamed Ones, which are shunned by every other Yuuzhan Vong deity. External links *http://starwars.com/databank/species/yuuzhanvong/eu.html *http://www.njoe.com/ New Jedi Order Encyclopedia *http://starwars.wikicities.com/wiki/Yuuzhan_Vong hu:Yuuzhan Vong Category:Bioships Category:Eco-terrorism in fiction Category:Fictional mass murderers Category:Fictional warrior races Category:Galactic empires Category:Genetic engineering in fiction Category:Star Wars species Category:Literary villains Category:Star Wars races Category:Star Wars governments